The Harwich Charter Commission is moving to insulate town staff from political pressure while centralizing management under a professionalized model that could shift oversight of the town’s police and fire chiefs. During its October 23 meeting, the commission reviewed proposals from the Collins Group consultants aimed at strengthening the Town Manager’s authority and establishing strict non-interference boundaries for elected officials.

Consultant Anthony Wilson presented a comparison of Harwich to peer communities, noting that Harwich currently maintains an unusually broad appointing authority for its Select Board. To attract high-quality professional management and maintain the town’s AAA bond rating, Wilson suggested that operational roles, including the Finance Director and public safety chiefs, should report directly to the Town Manager. To attract a strong professional Town Manager, they generally expect these roles to report to them, Wilson explained, though he acknowledged the local tradition of chiefs seeking a direct line to elected leaders. Consultant Becca Meakens supported the shift toward a unified chain of command, noting that siloing departments by having them report to different bodies can cause issues with management consistency.

The commission spent significant time refining Section 3-2-3 of the charter to prevent individual Select Board members from bypassing the Town Manager to influence municipal employees. Chair Linda Cebula emphasized the need for ironclad language to eliminate what has historically been a grey area in town governance. I like the proposed language, but I want to incorporate that there should be no undue influence, either actually or by suggestion, Cebula said, giving the example that a Select Board member should not be able to go directly to the highway department to get a driveway paved.

The reporting structure for Town Counsel also came under scrutiny. Commission member Paul Don questioned whether the town’s legal representative should report to the executive manager or the board. I'm curious about the attorney, Don asked. Is it standard practice for them to report to the Select Board? Wilson clarified that in a Town Meeting form of government, reporting to the Select Board is standard to ensure elected officials have unfiltered access to legal advice, particularly if an administrator’s actions become adversarial to the town’s interests. Cebula noted that the town has struggled with opinion shopping in the past and emphasized that the charter needs to improve legal accountability.

Commissioners expressed frustration regarding the Select Board's participation in the charter revision process. While the commission is currently defining the board's future powers, the Select Board has yet to attend a meeting to provide feedback. Richard Waystack argued that the invitation should remain open but the commission must move forward. If they are not going to come, then don't squawk later, Waystack said. Right now is the time for input, not six months from now. Paul Don added that the commission must specifically seek the opinions of the Police and Fire Chiefs regarding the proposed reporting changes to avoid a struggle later in the process.

Administrative transparency and compliance were also addressed through a mandatory shift to official municipal email addresses. Starting in mid-December, all commission members will be required to use town-hosted Outlook accounts for all correspondence to ensure proper archiving for public records and Open Meeting Law requirements. John Jory questioned the logistical burden, asking, So when I log on at home, I have to log on with a specific username? Cebula confirmed the requirement was non-negotiable for all town committees, noting that personal emails would no longer be searched during legal discovery if members comply with the new system.

The commission is also looking to fill a vacancy following recent turnover. Two candidates, Ed McManus and Brendan Lowey, have emerged as potential members. Sandy Hall suggested an interview process to ensure the new member can contribute immediately without repeating months of work. Should we have them come in next week for 15 minutes to talk to us? Hall asked, noting the importance of finding someone who will bring themselves up to date. The commission, including members Herb Bell and Lou Urbano, reached a consensus to invite the candidates to the next session. Earlier in the evening, the commission conducted routine business: Motion Made by R. Waystack to approve the minutes as amended. Motion Passed (6-0-0).